A barrage of poor market conditions are sending the DRAM market towards to tough fourth quarter.
Digi Times is this morning citing iSupply, which reckons the next DRAM market slump will come a little earlier than first predicted. A decline in conditions is now pencilled in for September.
Reports say suppliers and distributors currently have a lot of DRAM stock in their inventories that they're still shifting, meaning demand for more chips is shaky at best.
The tight margins to which OEMs work is going to prove a problem too. Rising LCD prices mean that PC manufacturers can't budget for extra RAM - they'll have to leave it out to keep sale prices where they want them.
However, a power cut at Samsung's production facilities, which forced it to move towards more NAND flash production, may alleviate the problem for other DRAM makers.
It also looks like the NAND market could have an excess of supply before the year is out.
Long term PC enthusiasts will be well aware of how much RAM prices can vary, although of late things don't seem quite as bad. But keep an eye on turn-key systems over the next few months and see what kinds of LCD/RAM combos are shipped.
HEXUS Links
DRAM market to take a turn for the worse in September, says iSuppli - Digi Times
NAND flash shortage expected to ease in September - Digi Times
